Development of digital educational media on the risks of illegal herbal medicines sold through e-commerce platforms: a qualitative study

Background Illegal herbal medicines sold through e-commerce platforms pose public health risks, particularly for people with chronic diseases. Objective This study aimed to develop digital educational media, comprising an e-module, educational video, and website, to address the risks associated with illegal herbal medicines sold through online platforms. Methods This qualitative descriptive study involved semi-structured interviews with 17 participants, comprising 11 professional informants and six patients with chronic diseases. Thematic analysis informed the development of an e-module, educational video, and website. Two academic reviewers subsequently provided preliminary feedback on the developed media using structured four-point assessment forms. Both reviewers had also participated in the qualitative interviews that informed the development of the materials. Results Ten themes informed the development of the digital educational media, addressing product legality, online marketing, health and digital literacy, cultural beliefs, regulatory supervision, professional involvement, and digital education needs. Preliminary expert feedback yielded descriptive ratings of 93.75% for the e-module, 98.75% for the educational video, and 95.00% for the website. These ratings reflect the assessments of two academic reviewers, both of whom had participated in the qualitative phase. Accordingly, the results should be interpreted as preliminary feedback rather than independent confirmation of content validity or evidence of educational effectiveness. Conclusion The study resulted in the development of three digital educational media addressing the risks associated with illegal herbal medicines sold through e-commerce platforms. The preliminary expert feedback provided initial academic input on the content and presentation of the materials. Further assessment involving independent experts and intended users is needed to examine content relevance, usability, acceptability, and educational effectiveness.